Originally written for KayfabeMemories.com

Known to millions as "The Missing Link", in his second career as the hated/loved weirdo with half-a-haircut and green face, Dewey had revitalized his wrestling life. The Toronto fans though will remember Mr. Robertson as a local fan favorite with outstanding mat skills and a muscled physique who always gave you your moneys worth.

Dewey, originally from the Kitchener area began wrestling in 1963. Through the 60's he would hone his skills in Ontario as well as Pittsburgh and Florida leading into regular appearances at Maple Leaf Gardens in the seventies.

In 1973, while in what was later known as the Mid-South territory, Dewey teamed with Dennis Stamp and won the areas United States Tag Team Titles (Tri-State) from the team of The Hollywood Blondes in an exciting match that lasted over an hour.

He would also make it to the finals of a tournament for the Tri-State version of the North American Title, losing out to Tank Morgan in late 1973.

Dewey would also face a young up and comer by the name of Chuck O'Connor who would later become Canadian Champ John Studd, and would appear on cards with Toronto legend Billy Red Lyons. At that time Billy Red was appearing all over the South and had formed a formidable tag team with tough Oklahoman Cowboy Bill Watts.

When he returned to the Toronto area in 1974, he was in all white under the mask as The Crusader until losing to The Sheik and unmasking on the under card of the Jack Brisco/Johnny Valentine World Title match. For the finish, The Sheik turns Dewey's mask around to blind him and applies the dreaded Camel Clutch for the victory. For a few appearances Dewey would be accompanied by a manager, one of the students at his Burlington gym by the name of John St. John who would later become a referee for Maple Leaf and the WWF in the '80s.

After he unmasked, the billing became "Crusader" Dewey Robertson until a few months later when he would team up with the legendary Billy Red Lyons and return under the mask as "The Crusaders". They would become one of the most loved teams in Maple Leaf history battling the villain teams with the fans cheering their every move in the squared circle.

They would occasionally appear with other partners or as a singles wrestler and the fans knew their identities, but with those masks on they seemed to raise it up a notch. The long running feuds with The Kelly Twins and the Love Brothers are still remembered by long time fans and The Crusaders would battle constantly until 1978 when Dewey and Billy Red went back to singles competition.

When the Tunneys went into co-promoting with the Mid-Atlantic area around 1979, Dewey would also appear in the heel corner but wrestle like an aggressive babyface (ala Dory Funk). This was only on the Carolinas circuit and on Mid-Atlantic TV . Back in Toronto he was always a fan favorite and he would be chosen to carry the newly revitalized Canadian Heavyweight Title in 1979 getting a very popular victory over Greg Valentine in the finals of the Canadian Title Tournament. Everyone always had a lot of respect for Dewey because you knew he was a consummate athlete with a deep training in wrestling and he had that "Canadian laid back persona" which endeared him to the fans. He was believable!

He rarely lost in the Toronto area and had big wins over all the top stars including Nick Bockwinkel (AWA Champ, but only the Canadian title was on the line), Jimmy Snuka (U.S Champ, only Canadian Title on the line), and a title shot against NWA Champ Harley Race (a loss) before losing the belt to Hussein The Arab (The Iron Sheik) in May 1980. While in the Carolinas there was no shortage of skilled matmen to test Dewey while in the heel role including Jim Brunzell, Tim Woods and former WWWF Champ Pedro Morales.

Dewey would also appear in tag matches with partners Brute Bernard, Swede Hansen, Ox Baker and Japanese star Tenryu. In November 1980 he would switch back to a face in this area, and in December would team up with George Wells for a successful run winning the Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Titles. They would only hold the belts until February 1981 losing the straps in a feud with the team of Mr. Fuji and Tenryu. Dewey would get another run as tag champ with veteran Johnny Weaver as his partner before losing to the team of Nikolai Volkoff and Chris Markoff. Meanwhile in Toronto, Angelo Mosca was by now firmly entrenched as the lead face and Dewey would move on to further his wrestling career.

Later in the year, Dewey would begin a successful stay in the Central States region winning the TV Title. He would also win the Central States Tag Team Titles with partners Jerry Valiant, Steve Regal and Ray (Hercules) Hernandez, and would hold the prestigious Central States Heavyweight title twice before losing to perennial World Champ Harley Race. Dewey would appear almost exclusively in this area for the better part of two years and would continue to receive title shots against the touring NWA Champs.

When back in the area, Dewey would show up at the Gardens to showcase his skills for the hometown crowd and would remain a big fan favorite. Looking back, I would have been devastated to see my hero turn "bad" and suppose Mr. Tunney as he had displayed many times before, really knew his wrestlers and his customers!

In St Louis, he would also team up with Race in tag competition against the team of Jerry (Guy Mitchell) Valiant and Roger Kirby. Dewey would go back and forth to "the dark side" and one memorable heel turn had him turning on Dusty Rhodes in a six man tag (the other partner was Bruce (later Butch) Reed).

In late 1983 The Missing Link was born and was one of the most successful characters of an ever changing mat world. I will admit that I had no idea it was Dewey under the paint because as a "face" he was fairly low key but was transformed as the crazy heel from "parts unknown".

Starting out in the Mid-South area as Max The Missing Link, he went on to great success in the World Class area when The Von Erich Family were at their peak and later in the WWF. He would make stops in Florida and World Class (Texas)- as a face with Sunshine as his manager as well as a short stay in the UWF accompanied by Dark Journey. He also worked for Ken Mantell's group Wild West Wrestling and was said to be considering a stop in Stampede in 1989 when various health problems caught up to him.

Dewey would play the heel role to great success using the head butt and attacking anything in his path, including chairs and tables, and the occasional ring post in his crazed entrances. Looking back, I see no record of The Link at Maple Leaf Gardens. Dewey may have thought that the hometown fans may have seen through the makeup as he was very careful to protect his "kayfabe" character.

In 1993 he had to have a kidney removed and contributed his health woes to drug and alcohol abuse. As it was in the ring, Dewey would win this fight and go on to contribute to drug and alcohol awareness ,and would serve on the board of directors for the Canadian Center on Substance Abuse. Still to this day, Dewey is revered by the Maple Leaf Wrestling fans who remember him as the quintessential mat hero in an era when the name on the marquee said Wrestling.

Thanks to Gary Will

For more on Dewey see

Cdn Page Of Fame
Dewey Spotlight
Story 1978
Dewey The Link

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